Men's Basketball 1/12/2022 8:53:00 AM Chris Brannick

No. 22/24 Central Oklahoma Visits Central Missouri

Bronchos, Now Ranked, Take Nine-Game Win Streak On The Road

WARRENSBURG, Mo. – The University of Central Oklahoma men's basketball team takes its nine-game win streak on the road for a pair of MIAA matchups this weekend. Up first is Central Missouri Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

Central Oklahoma is 13-2 this season overall and the Bronchos have an 8-1 record in MIAA contests. UCO is ranked No. 22 in the country in the latest NABC Top 25 and No. 24 in the country in the latest D2SIDA Top 25.

"It's really hard to win on the road in this league and we know that," UCO head men's basketball coach Bob Hoffman said. "The guys know that. They know that they need to be focused and locked in on executing our gameplan. It's going to be a tough weekend against some good teams."

Central Oklahoma will face off with Central Missouri Thursday night before heading to Jefferson City, Mo. to take on Lincoln Saturday afternoon.

The Bronchos have won nine in a row and have won each of those by at least 10 points. Central Oklahoma is averaging a 17.4 point margin of victory during the current win streak, which is tied for the longest streak since 2011 at UCO.

Central Oklahoma heads into this weekend continuing its position as the highest scoring team in the MIAA. The Bronchos average 84.5 points per game and have led the conference in scoring for more than a month.

The Bronchos post a 49.6 percent mark in team field goal percentage, a 37.6 percent mark on shots behind the 3-point line, and a 78.6 percent mark on free-throws through 15 games this season. UCO also averages 37.6 rebounds per game and 17.6 assists per game. Both of those marks are the best in the MIAA.

Central Oklahoma has four starters averaging double figures.

Isaiah Wade leads the team at 19.2 points per game and he is also the team's leading rebounder at 8.7 boards per contest. Wade shoots 60.8 percent from the floor, 55.0 percent from behind the 3-point line, and 70.4 percent from the free-throw line. He is 11-for-20 on 3-point attempts and is 50-for-71, both team highs, from the free-throw line through 14 games played.

Camryn Givens is the team's second leading scorer at 16.1 points per game and he is also the team's second leading rebounder at 5.9 boards per game. Givens shoots 53.3 percent overall, 41.7 percent from outside the 3-point line, and 76.3 percent from the free-throw line. Givens is second on the team in 3-pointers made (20), 3-pointers attempted (48), free-throws made (45), and free-throws attempted (59).

Wade and Givens provide Central a deadly combo in the post.

In the MIAA, the two rank fourth and ninth in scoring, fourth and 11th in rebounding, and second and seventh in field goal percentage, listing Wade first. The duo is also 14th and 10th in free-throw percentage.

Jaden Wells and Callen Haydon lead the guard play.

Wells is averaging 14.2 points per game through 15 games played this season. The second-year freshman shoots 43.4 percent overall and is the team leader shooting from deep. Wells is 49-for-111 on shots behind the 3-point line this season, a 44.1 percent mark. He ranks third in the MIAA in 3-pointers made, 3-pointers attempted, and 3-point field goal percentage.

Wells is also just two rebounds shy of Givens for the second spot on the roster. He averages 5.3 boards per game as well as 1.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

Haydon, who averages 13.4 points per game, makes everything go from the point guard position. The veteran from El Reno, Oklahoma leads the MIAA in assists at 5.7 per game, a mark that also ranks among the best in the country. Haydon dished out 80 assists in 14 games this season and ranks 15th nationally in that category.

Haydon shoots 48.5 percent overall, 40.5 percent from behind the 3-point line, and is at 88.9 percent from the free-throw line. He also averages 1.8 steals per game and ranks eighth in the MIAA in that category.

Jalyn Turner is Central's fifth starter and chips in 3.5 points per game and 2.0 rebounds per game.

Central Oklahoma's high-scoring style of play continues off the bench. The Bronchos average an even 23 points per game from its subs.

Preston Aymond leads that group. The freshman forward is averaging 8.1 points per game. He also averages 5.1 rebounds per game. Aymond shoots 51.7 percent overall, 30.8 percent from behind the 3-point line, and 83.3 percent from the free-throw line.

Davon Richardson adds 5.9 points per game, 3.3 rebounds per game, and 1.4 assists per game. He shoots 53.3 percent overall, 29.2 percent from outside, and 72.0 percent from the free-throw line.

Carson Calavan (3.4), Danquez Dawsey (2.3), and Conner Calavan (2.0) all chip in on the scoring load. Carson also averages 4.0 assists per game and is sixth in the MIAA in that category not too far behind Haydon. Carson does lead the MIAA in assist-turnover ratio at 4.0.

Central Missouri welcomes UCO to Warrensburg Thursday night looking for an official win streak. The Mules are 7-6 overall and 4-5 in the MIAA. UCM snapped a three-game losing streak with a win over Nebraska Kearney on Saturday.

UCM averages 67.4 points per game this season, shoots 43.6 percent overall, 29.8 percent from shots behind the 3-point line, and 73.3 percent from the charity stripe. Gaven Pinkley leads the team at 13.0 points per game. Ja'Cor Nelson is second at 11.1 points per game he leads the team at 6.8 rebounds per contest.

After three straight wins it's Central Oklahoma that has a 12-9 lead in the series. The teams first played way back in the 1957-58 season. UCO has won three in a row in the series three times. No team has ever won four in a row in this series. With the Bronchos most recent win last season, it's the first time either team has been three games ahead in the series.

Central Oklahoma will carry on its short, two-game road trip to Jefferson City on Saturday. The Bronchos are scheduled to play Lincoln, which sits in last place at 1-10 overall and 0-6 in the MIAA.

UCO will be home next weekend for a pair of games. The Bronchos are scheduled to face off against defending national champion and second-ranked Northwest Missouri on Thursday, Jan. 20 at Hamilton Field House.

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Players Mentioned

#13 Carson Calavan: G; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#33 Camryn Givens: F; 6' 6"; Junior

#10 Jalyn Turner: F; 6' 6"; Sophomore

#2 Isaiah Wade: F; 6' 7"; Senior

#1 Davon Richardson: G; 6' 3"; Freshman

#24 Jaden Wells: G; 6' 1"; Freshman

#3 Conner Calavan: G; 6' 5"; Freshman

#14 Callen Haydon: G; 5' 11"; Junior

#0 Danquez Dawsey: G; 6' 2"; Freshman

#23 Preston Aymond: F; 6' 7"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#13 Carson Calavan
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: G

#33 Camryn Givens
: 6' 6"; Junior
: F

#10 Jalyn Turner
: 6' 6"; Sophomore
: F

#2 Isaiah Wade
: 6' 7"; Senior
: F

#1 Davon Richardson
: 6' 3"; Freshman
: G

#24 Jaden Wells
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: G

#3 Conner Calavan
: 6' 5"; Freshman
: G

#14 Callen Haydon
: 5' 11"; Junior
: G

#0 Danquez Dawsey
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: G

#23 Preston Aymond
: 6' 7"; Freshman
: F